RX test DESPATCH 437,318 MHz
Units used for test: DISH 10m diameter, loop feed horn, LNA ATF 54143 optimized for 378 MHz 0,26dB N/F - 21dB gain, SDR receiver - Signal Hound 1 Hz-4,4 GHz with special RX software ( courtesy of Milan OK1FMF - thank you very much !) - HDSDR SW and PC DELL Vostro.
After receive of e-mail from Trevor M5AKA on EME net about this experiment I was working to prepare my antenna and units for RX of signals from DESPATCH on 437,318. Due to delay with my QRL and optimizing of my EME 432 MHz setup to 437 MHz I was able made a first test of unit on Saturday 13th of December. Test of unit was made on OK0EP beacon, see Picture 1 below. Than I was ready for first test of DESPATCH RXing during night from Saturday to Sunday night. In my first test I was little bit confused, because nothing was visible on the screen. Picture 2. I hade wrong AZ - EL parameters reached from web. Than I find on 13th of December info about SW which is possible to use for AZ-EL data calculation, other info about and prepare for second test from Sunday 14th of December to Monday 14th of December night. It was more successful. When my dish moved over 9°in elevation I lost ground noise and village QRM which allowed me to look for this super week signal. See Picture 3 bellow.
So, this is probably my best RX ODX :-)
Than Moonrise and I worked EME as a bonus first OK - A6 QSO on 432 MHz with A65BR. Oleg is using 9WL M2 Yagi and 50W RF from FT847.
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Antenna tracking http://ji1izr.air-nifty.com/ham_satellite/in_english/index.html The DESPATCH spacecraft is still
alive over 2,000,000km far away from the earth. But now, you will see
the "ERROR" on the utilities I have provided before. I revised the
"DESPATCHtrack" and the "ShinEn2track" according to the revision of
the API data. The range for the prediction date and time are: You can get the
DESAPTCHtrack20141213 from
here, 4.695.550 km RX by Rob PE1ITR - http://www.pe1itr.com/artsat2despatch
ARTSAT2:DESPATCH 437.325 MHz CW
DESPATCH reception reports are
summarized at:
Ham radio spacecraft launched into
deep space:
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Info JI1IZR and http://amsat-uk.org/2014/12/15/ok1dfc-pe1itr-despatch-4-7m-km |
Table with data for AZ-EL and QRG |
Picture 1
I was testing RX performance with beacon OK0EP which is in East direction from my home in distance 197 km. Signal of beacon was 50 dB over noise and all looks good. There is additional noise +4,6dB made by Ground in 0°elevation. Here is also screen with RXing of beacon. White lines are QRM from village.
Picture 2
First test from Saturday to Sunday - NIL received due to wrong AZ-EL parameters, ground noise due to lower elevation around -100dB
Picture 3
Second test from Sunday to Monday - antenna in calculated position, ground noise due to higher elevation -120dB
